he seal eagerly.
When he had read what the message contained the hand that held it
dropped nervelessly by his side. He gasped as if for breath, and pulled
nervously at the collar of his shirt like a man choking. Morgan, who
noticed his singular actions started toward him.

"What's the matter, O'Connor?" he asked, anxiously. "Are you ill?"

For a moment the captain did not answer, and then he said, faintly:

"Wait. I must think."

Morgan, wondering, but respecting his mood, stepped back. Captain
Dynamite folded his arms and his head sank low on his chest. For fully
five minutes he sat thus, and then suddenly leaped to his feet, clenched
his hands, straightened up to his full heighth, and stamped his foot,
loudly on the deck. The negro appeared with the steamer chair. He
stopped in terror at the wild appearance of Captain Dynamite, and
believing that he was the cause of his anger, stammered and stuttered in
an effort to speak.

"Ah, sut'nly, came as fast as ah could, sah. George Wash Jenks no
loafing nigger, sah."

"Call Suarez," said Dynamite, in a low voice, ignoring the negro's
attempted apologies.

"Misser Suarez turned in, sah."

"Call Suarez," roared the captain, taking a threatening step in the
direction of Jenks.

"Yas, sah," answered Jenks, his eyes big with wonder. "Needn't be so
uppish. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez." Jenks backed away to the
companionway in an effort to keep his face to the angry skipper and
miscalculating his distance rolled backward down the stairs.

"You clumsy idiot," bellowed Dynamite, stepping to the top of the stairs
and peering down into the darkness, out of which came a whisper:

"Yas, sah. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez."

Dynamite stepped back, and without speaking to Morgan, who watched him
anxiously, paced the quarter-deck with nervous strides. Suarez appeared
in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes. The captain stopped as he saluted, and
looked from one to the other of the men. Finally he said, holding out
the message to Suarez:

"Suarez--Morgan--here are the instructions regarding the removal of the
cargo. They are simple. There is also news--bad news--but that concerns
only me. Take this paper, Suarez, and with Captain Morgan's assistance
carry out the orders to the letter. You are in command."

Then he turned to Washington, who had followed Suarez to the
quarter-deck.

"Bring me my night coat, Washington, and my rifle. Suarez, have the gig
lowered. I am